Lana POV
Today was our sixteenth birthday and of all the days my brother Alpha Ryker had to call an Alpha meeting on his twin sister’s birthday. To say we were pissed off was an understatement. Arial and I watched from the upstairs window as Alpha’s from all over filed out of their cars before being greeted by our father and Ryker. My twin sister Arial hated the meetings just as much as me. It was one thing being twins, it was another being Lycan hybrid twins, and we always found that we copped the most stares. Once we came of age and didn’t get our wolves or shift, we knew we differed from our brother. Our mother was a direct descendant of the Moon Goddess, therefore, so are we.
Our brother inherited most of our father’s traits, he shifted when he was twelve and was what we call an early bloomer, but he didn’t share my mother’s Hybrid gene. Yes, he was a direct descendant like us, but for some reason he only received certain traits while my sister and I were exactly like our mother. We had no wolves and were half vampire and half Lycan. We were both saddened when we didn't get our wolves. Ryker always spoke of how much he loved his wolf growing up. But we still had each other. Being twins means you always have another half, a best friend for life, and my sister and I were incredibly close. So close, my mother sometimes had trouble telling us apart, the only giveaway being that our scents were different slightly.
One by one, the Alpha’s filed out of their cars. Noticing my aunt Lily’s car pulling up, I called to Arial. “Aunty Lil is here” I tell her, and she comes racing over to peer out the window. We watched as she and my uncle pulled the triplets from the car. They were ten now and had grown so much. We hadn’t seen them in a year because everyone had been busy.
Arial and I raced each other down the stairs to greet them, only to be grabbed by our brother as we went to race past. Ryker was fast as he gripped both our arms, tugging us beside him.
“Girls settle down” He scolded, giving us a pointed look. Ryker was the spitting image of our father and sometimes when he scolded us it was actually like our father did. Standing beside him I cross my arms over my chest, giving him a defiant look. Aunty Lily and Uncle Damien walk in. Our nephews Abel, Asher, and our niece Amelia walk in beside them, until they notice both of us and rush over. Lily goes straight to my brother, giving him a hug before kissing both Arial and I and wishing us happy birthday. Damien was greeting the other Alpha’s before they walked off down the foyer to the conference room with my father and mother.
“Lana, Arial can you take the kids to play out back?” Lily asks us and we both nod our heads. Taking the kids outside, they rush over to the swing set. Arial following close behind them. We push them on the swings for a bit when Amelia asks to retrieve something from the car.
“I can go get it, what do you need?”
“My book, I left it on the backseat” Amelia tells me, and I nod before walking back through the pack house heading for the front door. Going to Uncle Damien’s mustang I open the back door and see Amelia’s book sitting in the door trim. Bending over, I grab it just as another car pulls up.
Closing the door, I go to walk back inside when I hear car doors open, making me look back at the black SUV. A man around my brother’s age steps out and I instantly recognise him as the Forest Pack Alpha. Their pack was north of ours, around two hours away. He must have taken over his father’s pack because this was the first time I had seen him. The only reason I recognised him was because he looks a lot like his father, plus the woodsy scent that all the Forest Pack had. Only his was sweeter, mouth-watering so. He smelt so good I wanted to take a bite out of him to see if he tasted as good as he smelt. Blushing at that thought I mindlink my brother deciding to head back to my sister.
“The Forest Pack Alpha is here”
“Tell Alpha Jed to come in” He replies.
“It’s not Jed, I think it’s his son” I tell him.
“I will be right there,” He replies. About to turn around when the wind shifts and I hear a growl behind me. Ignoring the new Alpha, I continue up the stairs about to head inside when I hear the one word I have dreaded all my life.
“Mate” He growls, making me spin around to find he was directly behind me, his hand gripping my arm as he tugs me against him.
“Dad” I scream petrified as I struggle to get out of his grip. My father and my brother Ryker both raced out before freezing, making me look up at the man who had a hold of me.
“Alpha Tate let go of my daughter now” My father growls while stepping toward him, my brother included as they see the frightened look on my face. My uncle rushes out the door before stopping beside my brother.
"Tate let her go, geez what’s gotten into you?” Damien asks him. Alpha Tate doesn’t let go though, instead yanks me closer to him and I see my sister run out with a panicked look on her face.
“Mine” He growls behind me, making everyone look at each other, no one hiding their shock at his words. My brother seems to regain himself faster before turning to the Alpha.
“Let her go, she is only sixteen, you are scaring my sister” He growls, stepping forward before ripping me away from the Alpha. I run to my sister before turning around to face the man that claims I belong to him. He was very handsome with his dark hair and hypnotic emerald, green eyes. His penetrating gaze made me step back and away from him further. His eyes not leaving me. I felt nothing towards him, so how could he claim I was his mate. Arial tugs me toward the pack house door when he growls loudly, making me look back at him. My father, Damien, and my brother blocking him from me.
I find myself frozen on the spot, locked in place by his intense gaze, unable to take another step when my mother finally walks out.
“You claim my daughter is yours?” She asks, raising an eyebrow at him, her lips pursing. He straightens up before looking at her. No one can go against my mother. And if they did, it was their funeral. By the look the Alpha gave her, he knew this as he nodded to her.
“Luna Queen” He nods in respect.
“Well, come inside so we can finish this meeting quickly and we can talk, but I can assure you Alpha my daughter will not be going anywhere with you unless she agrees, understood?” She demands. He growls but nods his head before his eyes go back to me.
“No disrespect Luna but I will not be leaving without my mate” He says his eyes not leaving mine. My mother looks at me sadly and I feel Arial’s grip on my arm tighten.
“I don’t want to go with him mamma” I tell her through the mind-link.
“Go inside, your father and I will handle this” She tells me, and I let out the breath I was holding before racing inside with my sister.